Syrian president arrives in Moscow for talks with Putin
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Jan. 28 for talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Syrian news agency SANA reported.
The news agency said that they would discuss bilateral relations and the latest regional developments.
The Kremlin has sought to strengthen ties with the new leadership in Damascus after the toppling of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally, in 2024. Russia's primary interest is to retain its military bases in Syria, which were established in the Soviet period.
Meanwhile, AFP reported in October that al-Sharaa would ask Putin to hand over Assad, who currently lives in Russia.
The visit follows an offensive by the Syrian government earlier in January. As a result of the operation, the Syrian authorities seized most of the territory controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
The two sides agreed to a ceasefire on Jan. 20 according to which the Syrian Democratic Forces are to be integrated into the Syrian military, and the Kurdish-held areas are expected to be re-integrated into the Syrian state.
The ceasefire was backed by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which has dropped the policy of supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S. ally, and sought to improve relations with the incumbent Syrian government.
Previously al-Sharaa also met Putin in October as part of his first official trip to Russia.
Al-Sharaa was previously the head of Al-Nusra, the now defunct former affiliate of the terrorist group Al Qaeda, and the Islamist group Tahrir al-Sham, Al-Nusra's successor.
